The present invention relates to product checkout devices and more specifically to a produce data collector and a produce recognition system.
Bar code readers are well known for their usefulness in retail checkout and inventory control. Bar code readers are capable of identifying and recording most items during a typical transaction since most items are labeled with bar codes.
Items which are typically not identified and recorded by a bar code reader are produce items, since produce items are typically not labeled with bar codes. Bar code readers may include a scale for weighing produce items to assist in determining the price of such items. But identification of produce items is still a task for the checkout operator, who must identify a produce item and then manually enter an item identification code. Operator identification methods are slow and inefficient because they typically involve a visual comparison of a produce item with pictures of produce items, or a lookup of text in table. Operator identification methods are also prone to error, on the order of fifteen percent.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a produce recognition system which can minimize operator involvement in produce identification and entry into a transaction.
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a produce data collector is provided.
The produce data collector includes a light source for substantially uniformly illuminating the produce item with light during the transaction, a light separating element for splitting light collected from the produce item into a plurality of different light portions having different wavelengths, a detector for converting energy in the plurality of light portions into a plurality of electrical signals, and control circuitry which digitizes the plurality of electrical signals to produce a digital spectrum from the produce item which contains information to identify the produce item for the purpose of determining its unit price.
It is a feature of the present invention that the produce data collector provides substantial uniformity in both spectrum and luminosity across a sample collecting window, without the use of complicated optical devices.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a produce data collector and system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a produce data collector which is light in weight and inexpensive.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a produce data collector which digitizes a color spectrum for a produce item.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a produce recognition system which compares digitized produce color spectra from a produce data collector with historical reference spectra.